Shoe-tree



(No Model.)

G. STODDARD, de0d., N. B. & J. T. STODDARD, administrators. Shoe Tree. No. 231,200.. Patenteug. 17,1880.

PHOTG-LITNOGRAPHEH. WABHINGYON D G UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, NANCY B. STODDARD AND JASON T. STODDARD, ADMIN ISTRATORS OF CURTIS STODDARD, DECEASED, OF NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE -TREE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 231,200, dated August 17, 1880. Application filed July 10, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that GURTIs STODDARD, formerly of North Brookfield, Massachusetts, but now deceased, did invent an Improvement in Trees for Shoes, of which we, NANCY B. Sron- DARD and J ASONT. STODDARD, administrators of the estate of said CURTIS STODDARD, deceased, hereby declare that the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, is a specification.

This invention relates to trees for shoes, and is an improvement upon United States Patent No. 130,329, August 6, 1872, granted to OUR- TIS STODDARD. In the patent referred to the stretcher-block or back piece was pivoted to the main or leg-piece, and thelever for expanding the tree had its fulcrum on the movable back piece.

This present invention has for its object to simplify the construction of the said patented tree and make it more certain in operation and more powerful. To this end the said CURTIS STODDARD pivoted the expanding-lever upon an ear attached to the leg-piece, and provided an independent hand-lever by which to operate it, the hand-lever being under the control of a locking device.

The foot-piece lever is operated in one direction by the expandinglever, and in the present invention the expanding-block or back piece of the leg has a teat to enter a cast-metal or other socket or chamber in the main leg-piece, thus avoiding a pivot and permitting the easy removal of the back piece, a pivoted spring being employed to press upon the outer portion of the back piece and hold it in place on the leg-piece, the said spring being controlled by a set or thumb nut.

Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, a shoetree provided with the improvements of GUR- TIs STODDARD on his patented tree referred to, and Fig. 2 apartial longitudinal section thereof.

The leg-piece a, preferably of cast metal, has a journal, at, to enter a suitableholder, 1), attached to a table or bench, c, to keep the tree in nearly a horizontal position. The leg-piece is grooved at o in the usualmanner, to receive the dovetailed tongue (I, connected with the foot-piece 01, said tongue being preferably made of metal and secured to the foot-piece by a screw, d This metal piece has a projection, 01 to extend over the instep end of the foot-piece, and one face of the said projection is inclined or beveled to fit the inclined part a of the leg-piece. A screw, d, is passed through this projection into the foot-piece.

The foot-piece when crowded down in place (see Fig. 2) is caught by a catch, 6, pivoted at e and operated upon by a spring, 0 The inclined portions a 01 assist in keeping the footpiece and leg-piece closely together.

The leg-piece has ears or, to hold the pin a which serves as the fulcrum forthe expandinglever f, which is acted upon at one end by the hand-lever g, pivoted at g, and by moving the hand-lever into the position, Fig.2, it being supposed that the tree has a boot upon it, the upper end of the expanding-lever is made to act upon the back piece, move it away from the leg-piece, expand the tree, and stretch the boot.

The hand-lever, when forced against the expandinglever, as described, is held in locked position by the locking device h, herein shown 7 5 as a link, pivoted at 2, extended through a slot, t', in the hand-lever, and provided with teeth to engage a corner part, 3, of the handlever, said corner part, 3, and the teeth 4 being so shaped as to bind one on the other when engaged and subjected to strain.

A spring, is, between the locking device and leg part, holds the locking device out in the slot 2', away from the corner 3, when it is desired to leave the hand-lever free. In the Patout N 0. 130,329, referred to, the expanding-1evcr was held by teeth of a small rack placed in a recess at the front of the leg-piece, where it was difficult to get at, and the lever easily became detached from the said rack. 0

The back piece, 1, instead of being placed upon a fixed pivot, as in the patent, has at its end a metal piece, m, having a notched projection, a, that is entered into the socket part 0 of the leg-piece, and made to co-operate with the edge or flanged part 12 of the leg-piece, the notched part n turning on the said part p.

The back part is held laterally between the side plates, as usual, and the spring r, made adjustable by the thumb-nut, keeps the back part up toward the leg part, and closes the tree when the lever g is released from the locking device. The movement of the expanding-lever, owing to the pressure upon it of the back piece, causes the expanding-lever to operate the catch 0.

We claim- 1. In a. shoe-tree, the leg and back pieces, combined with the expandinglever, the handlever, and the lockingdevice, substantially as described.

2. The leg-piece, foot and back pieces, com- 

